As the Las Vegas Raiders stack wins, they're more likely to be buyers than sellers at the trade deadline. That could mean that the buzz around Maxx Crosby as a trade chip fades while talks to improve the wide receiver corps or other positions ramp up.
In his season debut, Brock Bowers caught 10 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. According to Pro Football Focus, he mostly lined up in the slot and out wide rather than as an inline tight end. So, one could argue that Bowers is effectively the team's WR1.
Still, the Raiders should look to add a traditional wide receiver to complement their star pass-catcher. They did sign wideout Tyler Scott to the practice squad, who is Tre Tucker's former college teammate at Cincinnati, but general manager John Spytek can also think big on the trade market.
This week's Raiders scouting report focuses on offensive additions to keep the offense rolling in October
Trade: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Like Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who appeared in last week's league scouting report, Brian Thomas Jr. has fallen out of favor under a new coaching regime in Jacksonville.
Thomas caught 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns in his 2024 rookie season. In that year, he played under former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor.
In 2025, the Jaguars fired Pederson's staff and hired Liam Coen, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator from Sean McVay's coaching tree. Under Coen, Thomas has been inefficient, with declining receiving numbers.
Last season, Thomas hauled in 48 passes for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games. So far this season, he's caught seven passes for 88 yards. In Week 3, Thomas lost snaps to rookie sixth-rounder Josh Cameron.
We've seen Thomas perform at a legitimate Pro Bowl level, but he's playing 42 percent of the offensive snaps in a reduced role in Coen's system. Because of his slow start to the season, the Raiders may be able to acquire him for a Day 2 pick in the 2027 draft.
Trade: Chris Godwin Jr., WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are off to an 0-3 start, and quarterback Baker Mayfield is on short-term injured reserve with a dislocated thumb. If the Buccaneers keep struggling, they could be sellers in the coming weeks.
Spytek should monitor his former team's situation, specifically for wide receiver help. The Bucs have two young wideouts atop the depth chart: 2025 first-rounder Emeka Egbuka and rookie third-rounder Ted Hurst III. If they trade players before the deadline, Chris Godwin Jr. could be expendable.
Last offseason, Tampa Bay signed Godwin to a three-year, $66 million extension, but he has no guaranteed money after the 2026 campaign. If the Raiders acquire him, they can terminate his contract if the transaction doesn't work out without owing him any money beyond this year.
Godwin is 30, but he's healthy after missing 18 games over the last two seasons. In three outings, the 10-year veteran has hauled in 10 of 11 targets for 111 yards. The savvy receiver could take on a more prominent role in an ascending offense under head coach Klint Kubiak.
Free Agent: Antonio Gibson, RB
This week, Ashton Jeanty's workload has been a hot-topic discussion. He's had his ankles taped and retaped over the previous two weeks, and his production has dipped significantly after rushing for 102 yards in the season opener.
Remember, Jeanty sprained his ankle late in August during practice. He's played in all three games, and the Raiders have listed him as a full participant in three of four weekly injury reports. However, Jeanty lacks explosiveness on his runs and has averaged fewer than three yards per carry over the last two weeks.
Kubiak told reporters that rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. has earned more carries. Although Washington has been impressive since training camp, the Raiders may need to split backfield touches out of necessity as well.
If Jeanty takes on a lighter workload while he recovers from an ankle injury, the Raiders should add running back depth. On Wednesday, they signed Owen Wright to the practice squad.
Spytek can still take a look at Antonio Gibson, who has a hybrid tailback-receiver skill set, rushing for 3,287 yards and 24 touchdowns and racking up 1,495 yards and seven touchdowns as a receiver between 2020 and 2025.
About a year ago, Gibson tore his ACL while with the New England Patriots. If he's fully recovered, the 28-year-old can provide quality depth in the Raiders' backfield, especially on third downs.
Moe Moton writes about the Raiders for Just Blog Baby. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.
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